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Alex Moroz Preview of Round One on the AHRMA National series We have been to the track and its ALL GOOD! A team of us meet with Bob and Bev White the owners of the Arizona Cycle Park on Sunday January 13th. Both are very excited about the upcoming event and the folks there were very hospitable when we came out. The facility is one of the better venues for us to have this season opener at. The terrain is typical Arizona sand with a mixture of area farm cotton based compost that helps the soil retain moisture and stay tacky. No blue grove! Bob offered me a bike to ride on Sunday and I was able to spend a little over an hour on the track to get a feel of the soil and the lay out. Although I was on a modern bike I felt the track was one of the better set ups I have ridden in a while. I handled and cleared the step ups and the table tops with out hesitation… considering that I am not a very fast rider I was not intimated with the lay out… I had fun and felt that I could manage this track on my PV and vmx bike... With the configuration as I road it the lap times were about 2 and a half min’s. The jumps and flow as the track was laid out is very suitable for pvmx. The cool thing about this track is that the doubles (the gooffy stuff) can be cut out for the vmx. This can be very easily done as there is a wide access road (as wide as the track!) for the water truck that parallels the track. This will make it easy for us to go around some of the man made obstacles which are not "kind" to the vmx machinery. The start is a full mechanical gate with a flat left hand sweeper followed by a right hand up hill then a 180 degree left hander that goes back down hill. The track is wide and safe for passing. In the back section of the track there are some very cool 100 foot up hill grades with some very good 200 foot down hill grades that includes a drop away… with a few off cambers thrown in. The watering system includes a truck and the facility has its own pond on sight. The soil was moist and in great shape while I was there (from 9:30 to 2 pm). I was told it had been watered the day before. The facility has all its own heavy equipment to groom the track. This is a true turn key operation. That includes staff to maintain the facility, flaggers, and scorers. Parking is ample. There are acres and acre of flats for the pits, fire pits for folks to make camp fires and a building for sign up with an enclosed finish line balcony off the sign up building. Because the track is located in a construction pit it can be viewed from top side 100%. Of it rains the design of the track allows water to run off and pool in specially designed run off pools. PA system covers ALL the pit area and track. There is also a vet track off to the right of the main track, a Supercross track, a kids or beginners track and a small oval for “round de round” fun. An open area that a-joins to the vet track and also connects to the main track is perfect for the Mary Smith School that we will have on Friday. Interesting is that the facility also has a BMX track and paved basketball court. So if your kids want a place to ride their bicycles or play a little round ball as we go dig up some dirt they have their own “real estate” to play in. Concessions are on hand and Bob White is considering offering a BBQ-Brisket-Ribs-Chicken dinner for a modest fee on Saturday evening …. Around 80 plates, first come first served! There is a water station to wash your bikes on site and the facility has some limited access to electricity. We will have a 4 mile loop for the CC. There are elevation changes and some great desert trails. Destry Abbott was there on Sunday and gave me an overview of the lay out. This is his home base tor training. Our trials folks have been here already and they are very satisfied with the lay out of the land to make a very good national trails event. The most important thing is that the owners both Bob and Bev White are willing and eager to work with us and to do what ever it takes to build a great track for VMX PVMX, CC and Trials. These are “Good Folks” and AHRMA is privileged to have them on board. You’ll hear “no bitching” from these promoters… Nothing against the other facility we have raced at in the past but in my opinion this is a far superior location, with better terrain that is very vintage friendly ,and owners with great attitude and who are very accommodating… In conclusion this is going to be the “Best Season” opener for AHRMA in years… Don’t miss it.. Hey… as my old team Krusty VMX buddy Dave Goyer once said “It don’t get much better!” Alex |
